


Goodbyes and comebacks

by WritingforTheAvengers



Category: Avengers, Iron Man - Fandom, Marvel, Tony Stark - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 18:13:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13863168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingforTheAvengers/pseuds/WritingforTheAvengers
Summary: You can’t say no when your friend Layla calls you for a job; you don’t wanna get rusty, but when you decide to say yes, Tony, your boyfriend doesn’t seem very happy about it. He threatens to put an end to your relationship if you dare to go, but still… you can’t say no.





	Goodbyes and comebacks

“I mean, I think I can go for a few days… Because we’re thinking days, right?” Tony heard you from outside the room and curiously walked in. You were with the phone squeezed between your ear and your shoulder as you looked for a nice travel bag and, apparently, some clothing. Once you peered over to him, you smiled and waved your free hand at him. “No—I mean, I don’t have ‘em with me, but they’re in storage…” you started folding some clothing and put it inside the bag. “Yes, if you can get me a ticket right now I’ll pay you later, or take it from my pay, whichever you prefer… Okay, I’ll go meet you there. Bye,” you tossed the phone onto the bed and Tony walked in closer.

“What’s with the fuzz?”

“Layla asked me to go with her on a job,” you shrugged casually, “I said yes.”

“And you didn’t consult me first?” He looked shocked, as if you has committed the gravest offense against his self. You could even picture him taking his hand to his chest in a dramatic manner, but thankfully he didn’t.

“Why—why would I?” You chuckled in a mix of surprise and amusement. “We don’t tend to consult each other on our stuff, or do we?”

“I mean, it’s a job,” he pointed out, using his hand to support his non-existent idea, “and you happen to be an assassin, and a very skilled one, so… I thought you might consult me on such matters,” you didn’t like where the conversation was heading, because every time he spoke about your job and used the word assassin to describe you it sounded so spiteful and even demeaning; you could’ve preferred that he used the words hit man instead. “After all, there’s always a chance you may not make it back home.”

You scoffed and looked away for a short second; you regained composure after seeing his serious expression. “Well, in an effort to ease up your always worried mind, I will make it back home because I know the drill, I know my job just as you know yours.”

“Don’t bring up the Avengers, (Y/N),” he rolled his eyes in exhaustion feeling more offended by the second.

“Why? Oh, I guess it’s because if you go and fight then it’s completely fine. All the worries I have while you’re gone are completely justified because you’re doing some great stuff for the whole damned world,” you could feel yourself getting all altered and enraged, “but if I go to work, then it’s nuts, dangerous and I shouldn’t be doing it, right? Because I only take down a few people at a time, don’t I? Is this how you’ll treat my job, Tony? Because I actually thought we were past this stage of mistrust, and fear, and recrimination. So tell me, Mr. Invincible Iron Man, are we really still having this conversation?”

“(Y/N), listen to me, and listen to me well. You can’t go on that job. I forbid you to and that’s it. I’m done with this conversation,” he stated, looking straight at you with a fatherly look. It was almost cinematic to see him getting all protective of yours, but you were not used to this kind of Tony, and you weren’t having it, none of it. He was being childish, possessive and a full time jackass, period.

“Or else?” You cocked an eyebrow. “What are you gonna do? Smack my butt? Forbid me to have dessert after dinner? Send me to my bed? Curfew? No going out? Oooohhh…” you shook and rubbed your hands on each opposite bicep, faking a dramatic shiver. You were too entertained, but Tony’s face didn’t show any sign of laugh so you stopped immediately, but still reluctantly.

“Or else we’re done.”

“Are you kidding me?” You asked, feeling a nervous and exasperated laugh burst from your lips, but he wasn’t smiling, let alone giving up on his squared thought. Unfortunately, this hadn’t been the first time that he threatened you with this, but you were always the one to give in to his pleads, but he never gave in to yours, so you were never truly convinced that he’d break up with you if you did go on a job. “Oh my god, you’re actually not kidding… Well,” you sighed running a hand through your hair and tugging at it gently, “I guess this is it then,” you bit your bottom lip, “I’m sorry for being so insensitive right now but I just can’t believe you’re so selfish. When you ask me not to go, I say yes and stay here, but you never do that shit for me, and that’s really unfair, Tony. Good luck finding someone who can put up with all your shit,” you grabbed your unfinished bag and jogged down the wooden staircase as you tried to find an uber.

The ebony black Labrador that rested on the sofa quickly stood up and walked towards you. As if she could sense there was something wrong, she tried to stand on her back legs and put her front ones on your thighs, whining and calling your attention to make sure you were looking at her. She nuzzled at whatever part of you she had in front and you scratched gently her dark head, knowing that it you wouldn’t see in a while thanks to Tony and his childish ways.

You didn’t think it twice, but crossing the front door as perhaps one of the hardest things you had ever done in your life. You were leaving yet another life behind; it hurt more this time because you had accustomed yourself to be (Y/N) (Y/L/N), Tony Stark’s girlfriend.

* * *

 

You weren’t sure why you came back to your old neighborhood, especially when Tony could be out and about, but you missed the place and even got to greet some of the old people that hung out at your old place. It was hard to explain why you left in such a rush, but as you repeated the lie over and over it became easier to tell until even you bought your own words.

It had been over a year, so the few pregnant women you recall were out there with their children enjoying the exceptionally warm day; they were all smiling and laughing their hearts out, you wished it was contagious, but nothing could make you smile, or so you thought until you spotted a black Labrador way too familiar.

The dog looked at you and ran towards you with all of its might; you received her kneeling on the ground with open arms, but she was so strong that she pushed you back and kissed you restlessly. You heard some heavy painting among the barking and whining of your beautiful girl and you recognized another familiar thing: Tony’s voice.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, fighting to catch his breath from the unexpected run, “she’s not usually like this—”

“I know,” you replied, as you held the big puppy’s head and rubbed it against yours, “but I guess little Maria just missed her momma,” an awkward silence grew between all of you, even Maria was silently watching you two interact.

“Yeah, I guess she did,” Tony reached out his hand to help you get up and you gladly accepted it. “I haven’t seen you in—”

“About a year,” you hurriedly completed his sentence. “It’s been about a year, Tony.”

“I know,” he pursed his lips in a guilty-ish manner. “Do you have time? I wanna talk it all out, I felt like shit after you left.”

“After you broke up with me?” You cocked an eyebrow in a menacing manner. “Yeah, sure.”

By the time you were halfway through the walk back, you had certainly had enough of familiar things and unwanted old neighbors who were ‘so glad you two made things up’. You could only offer a few awkward smiles and had to claim that you missed your baby dog and that you two had broken up in rather friendly terms. Good thing they were all unaware of the world of spies and master assassins that you were involved; trying to explain why Tony was an avenger was already a difficult thing, but trying to explain that you were technically a criminal was too much for anybody’s comprehension.

He got the table ready and got the coffee machine started while you stood there, stiff as the walls around you. The house was exactly as you remembered, and from what you reckoned, the things in the kitchen were left in the exact same position that you left them, hopefully with not as much dust.

“You can sit down, (Y/N),” he chuckled from over his shoulder, “this is your house too.”

“Still?” You asked before your brain could stop you.

“Yes,” he sighed, “the house is still yours as everything in it. Can you please stop chastising me? I know I made a mistake—”

“Do you?” You fought back and chuckled. “Tony, do you actually know what happened? You dumped me because I got a call for a job and I wanted to go and do it. You couldn’t stand me going out but I had to put up with your avenger shit all the time. Tell me, does that seem fair to you?”

“It’s not—”

“Exactly! It’s not, because how do you think I felt? I mean—I became a 5 year old in just one second! I hadn’t felt that embarrassment in so long,” you shook your head. “Why didn’t you let me go?” You asked finally, tugging at your bottom lip.

“Because I didn’t want to lose you,” he said. “It’s selfish, I know that, especially when I never stayed when you asked me, but… I always knew I’d come back. I have the suits, I have the team… and you…”

“Oh god, you have literally managed to make that even worse,” you pinched the bridge of your nose trying hard to keep your composure and not stab him with whatever thing you could find in your purse. “I am holding myself to not punch you in the face, Stark, because I’m really dying to.”

“Listen to me, and then you can hit me if you want to. I know you’re good at what you do, I’ve never even dared to doubt it. But I also know that I’ve put you in danger before, and that it almost got you killed and I can’t forgive myself for that because I can’t risk to not have you,” he shook his head and pursed his lips. “You wanna know the real reason why I didn’t let you go? Because I every time you tell me that there’s a job for you I think it could be one of the people I’ve dealt with and you might not come back. It’s a small world, (Y/N), and it’s getting smaller each fucking day,” he growled.

“Tony, I can take care of myself…” you replied in almost a whisper.

“I know that, but please understand that dating you was way easier when I wasn’t an avenger and you were just… my secretary,” he chuckled. “Well, something like that.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, and… I know we’re not together anymore, and I don’t know if we’ll ever be together again, but you have to know that I’m not closing the door to that, but I didn’t like the way we ended,” you conceded in a soft voice. “You hurt me, Tony; you made me feel like a kid and… I don’t think I want that again.”

“I’m sorry, (Y/N), I really am… and I would never treat you like that again.”

“You coffee must have gotten cold,” you bit your bottom lip, “and I accept your apology, for what it’s worth.”

“Maybe we can actually talk it out,” he had a taint of hope in his dark eyes, “make the neighbors happy, make Maria happy.”

“Yeah, maybe,” you looked at him and gave a great smile.


End file.
